Meet Alumni

How did the Honors College help prepare you for success?

Where do I begin? The single most important thing the Honors College provides for its students is its students. Practically all of my classmates that I was closest to and still keep in touch with were in the Honors College, and they've helped shape my thinking and my career. That network is amazing and the Honors College creates a nucleus of exceptionally brilliant, creative, and driven students, which spur each other on and increase those qualities in one another. The mentorship and devotion of the College staff was another key component in guiding me along my college journey and even creating opportunities for me that I would not have had otherwise. Of course, the other resources provided, such as the lounge, student events, and donuts with Dean Lehfeldt are a huge plus, too ;) And, not to be diminished one bit, is the generous scholarship without which I'd be wallowing in debt and likely unable to be doing my startup. All these factors played a very significant role in my success at CSU and beyond.

What have you been doing since graduation?

A few months after graduateion, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue grad school at UCLA, where I focused on robotics and Artificial Intelligence. I received my MS in June 2017 and have since been working on a fashion-tech startup with fellow Honors College alumnus Brahm Powell.

Do you have any advice for current Honors College students? 

Stop being so focused...on one thing. Sure, when you find your niche you should focus on it and be the best at it, but in college you should explore first, and "settle down" later. There's so much out there and so many cool things that you don't know about, so get out of your comfort zone and do things that are unorthodox. Are you an engineering major? Take a business class. Are you an art major? Learn to code. Medical field? Take a public policy class. What you explore can or can not be related to your field of study- it doesn't really matter, just explore. Also, network. Go to events, talk to people, follow up with interesting individuals. Oh, and you know how you have to do a semester of research your senior year? Don't wait until then. Find professors doing interesting things and ask to volunteer in their labs or help out on their projects. These aren't just cliche ideas I'm writing, they're what I actually did and they literally made my career into what it is. My only regret is that I didn't start exploring early enough. The world's a pretty awesome place, but you won't know it unless you leave your little corner. Go Vikings!

What was the best part of being in the Honors College?

Again, I have to say, that it's the people. My classmates were the best — a wonderful mix of brains, jokes, adventures, and beautifully crazy ideas. The Honors College is also very blessed in its leadership. Both Dean Lehfeldt and formerly Dr. Meiksins are exceptional leaders and mentors whose sincerity and genuine care for students' success makes the College flourish all the more.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years? With everything I'm doing right now in tech in California, I really have no idea! But as Brahm and I are plugging away at our startup, we hope to raise some initial funding early in 2018 and use that to give us a boost for the next year or so. In our space, 5 years is a ballpark target for hopefully getting acquired, so keep your fingers crossed for us!

What have you been doing since graduation?:

I got married in August and began working full-time at Playhouse Square. I was hired as a Season Ticket Services Coordinator, and work with our Season Ticket Holders to build retention of our Broadway Subscription base and continue to grow the theater district in Cleveland.

Is your chosen field what you expected as an undergrad?:

Not exactly, but I love what I do. It's hard to get an exact feel on what degrees like Sociology and Non-Profit Administration will lead you to, so I was kind of unsure where I would end up. I knew I wanted to make a difference. I wouldn't have thought of it at first, but Playhouse Square has certainly enabled me to do just that. The impact that the organization has on the city of Cleveland is huge, and I'm incredibly proud to be a part of that.

What is your dream job?:

Truthfully, my deepest desire is to be a mom and then lend my spare time to volunteer using the knowledge I've gained to help non-profits focusing on mental illnesses and Christian missions. I was gifted a lot of knowledge through the Honors Program at Cleveland State, and I want to give that knowledge to help and enable other organizations. It would be awesome to sit on a board one day or consult with organizations to help them succeed.

How did the Honors Program help prepare you for success?:

It really networked me and helped me find my passion of working with people. It set me up with some great internships and opportunities that made me a great applicant for the job I have now. It also gave me opportunities to diversify my skills and interests through certain honors classes and service opportunities.

Do you have any advice for current Honors students?:

Make connections. While I worked very hard through college, so many opportunities were just given to me by people that knew my passions and desires. It always meant a lot to have a professor or staff member recommend me to something that I never would have heard of on my own.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully on my way to my "dream job". Teaching my kids the importance of education and social justice and fighting for a nonprofit organization that I believe in.

How did the Honors Program help prepare you for success?:

The Honors Program helped me prepare for my success by challenging my intellect and providing me with the support I needed in order to continue my academic growth on both a personal and professional level.

What have you been doing since Graduation?:

Since graduation, I passed my NCLEX and have been working full time as a RN at Metro Health Hospital.

Do you have any advice for current Honors or Scholars students?

My advice for current honors or scholars students is to take advantage of whatever opportunities that come your way, even if they may be outside of your comfort zone.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In five years, I can see myself completing my masters in the Science of Nursing either as an education or as a Nurse Practitioner.

Do you think that attending CSU helped prepare you for the real word as nurse?

I do think that attending CSU did prepare me for the real world as a nurse. The nursing program, though very challenging, is excellent and really was able to prepare me for my career as an RN.

What is your dream job? I am currently living my dream job! I always wanted to be a nurse, and now I get to do it every day.